Senior Director of Marketing

Gustavus Adolphus College; Minnesota; Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 92,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Tuition benefit for employee andSpouse

Paid parental leave

Onsite health services

Free parking

Employee wellness/fitness facilities

Job summary

Gustavus Adolphus College is seeking a Senior Director of Marketing to lead brand, enrollment, and program marketing from the CMO lane. You will shape how Gustavus is known to prospective students, families, and partners, building marketing assets in an authentic way to differentiate the college and drive enrollment.

The role leads a 3–4 person team, oversees campaigns across channels, and ensures ROI through KPI dashboards and executive briefings. Hybrid on-site in St.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field.
• 8+ years of paid marketing experience.
• 4+ years managing direct reports.
• Proven experience with executive collaboration and business partners.
• Proven track record managing marketing budgets.
• Experience managing agency partnerships and contracted work.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and/or MS Office; Adobe Creative Suite; photo and video editing tools.
• Experience with CMS (Drupal, WordPress).
• Experience with media tracking systems and KPI reporting.
• Experience in digital and paid media (SEM, Meta Ads, programmatic).

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a marketing/creative staff of 3–4.
• Partner with the CMO to shape and safeguard the marketing strategy.
• Oversee owned and paid campaigns across digital, print, social, and OOH.
• Build cross-channel marketing plans and manage agency/vendor relationships.
• Drive audience- and program-specific marketing with campus partners.
• Track KPIs and ROI, reporting to leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Budget management

Communication skills

Strategic marketing

Project management

Agency management

CMS: Drupal/WordPress

Google Workspace / MS Office

Adobe Creative Suite

Analytics / KPIs

Education

Bachelor's degree in marketing or communications

Tools

Drupal

WordPress

Adobe Creative Suite

Photo/Video editing tools

Salesforce

HubSpot

Slate

Marketo

Job description

Position Overview: Gustavus Adolphus College seeks a talented and seasoned Senior Director of Marketing to join our team. Marketing and Communication is led by a co-leadership model with a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and a Chief Communications Officer (CCO). This position sits within the CMO’s lane, responsible for the operational execution of brand, enrollment, and program marketing. It does not overlap with the communications functions led by the CCO, which include institutional voice, media relations, and executive communications.

The Senior Director will oversee a team of approximately 3–4 staff, manage agency relationships, and lead the marketing strategy and execution that helps Gustavus cut through a competitive market, grow enrollment, and deepen engagement with key audiences across the region.

Job Summary: This position is a key part of the marketing leadership team, working closely with the Chief Marketing Officer to align and manage daily marketing operations across brand, enrollment, and program marketing. You will shape how Gustavus is known to prospective and current students, families, alumni, donors, sponsors, and partners. Your mission is to build marketing principles and assets in an authentic way — differentiating Gustavus in a crowded market, elevating brand awareness in the Twin Cities region, and delivering measurable results that drive enrollment.

Pay Range: $80,000-$92,000 annually

Location: On-site, St. Peter, Minnesota (hybrid flexibility available)

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team

• Lead and develop a team of approximately 3–4 marketing and creative staff, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and high performance.
• Work closely with the Chief Marketing Officer to build and safeguard the overall marketing strategy for Gustavus Adolphus College.
• Contribute to the Marketing & Communications team’s strategic goals, planning, and outcomes, partnering with the CCO’s communications team where initiatives intersect.

Campaigns & Channels

• Manage owned and paid campaigns across digital, print, social, and out-of-home channels.
• Lead coordinated multi-channel marketing efforts targeting key audiences.
• Build and oversee cross-channel marketing plans and agency management for day-to-day and campaign efforts.
• Manage agency partnerships and vendor relationships; direct contracted work and track ongoing progress.

Audience & Program Marketing

• Lead and execute marketing development for core institutional audiences, including Admissions, Financial Aid, Advancement, Alumni, Student Life, Athletics, Fine Arts, and the Provost’s office.
• Build strong working relationships with partners across college departments, elevating collective marketing effectiveness.
• Collaborate with the full Marketing & Communications team to ensure marketing work is aligned and streamlined across platforms.

Brand, Budget & Measurement

• Steward the marketing budget, ensuring responsible allocation and clear ROI reporting.
• Champion brand standards and visual identity in marketing execution; partner with the CCO’s team on brand governance across the institution.
• Drive impact through tracked and managed KPIs; build regular performance dashboards and recaps for the CMO and leadership.
• Ensure all deliverables are achieved, documented, and measured.
• Other duties as assigned.

Prerequisites

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8 years of paid industry experience in marketing or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years managing direct reports.
• Demonstrated experience working effectively and collaboratively with executive leaders and business partners.
• Proven track record managing and stewarding marketing budgets.
• Experience managing agency partnerships and directing contracted work.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and/or MS Office; Adobe Creative Suite; photo and video editing tools.
• Experience with Content Management Systems (e.g., Drupal, WordPress).
• Experience with media tracking systems and building performance recaps to highlight KPIs and value.
• Demonstrated experience in digital and paid media (SEM, Meta Ads, programmatic, etc.).
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and manage projects from start to finish.
• Creative mindset with a keen eye for detail and brand consistency.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in higher education, nonprofit, or other mission-driven marketing environments.
• Experience with CRM and/or marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot, Slate, Marketo).
• Familiarity with enrollment marketing, advancement/alumni engagement, or fundraising communications.
• Experience working in a co-leadership or matrixed organizational structure.
• Graduate degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field.

Gustavus offers competitive and comprehensive benefits which include:

• Medical insurance (which includes access to Nice Healthcare) as well as dental, vision, and life insurance
• Workplace accommodations for physical or mental health concerns
• Onsite health services
• Free parking, exercise classes, and use of library and athletic facilities
• Paid parental leave
• Employer contribution to retirement savings plan (after one year of employment)
• Tuition benefit plan for employees and spouse

Gustavus Adolphus College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, or veteran status in its education or employment programs or activities.

Gustavus Adolphus College is one of the nation’s leading private liberal arts colleges serving approximately 1,800 students. The College aspires to be a community of persons from diverse backgrounds who respect and affirm the dignity of all people. Known for its strong science, writing, music, athletics, study-away, and service-learning programs, Gustavus is located on a scenic 340-acre hill in St. Peter, Minnesota only one hour southwest of the Twin Cities.